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issued April 23, 1907. 



ffDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
FOREST SERVICE, 

GIFFORD PINCHOT, Fotestei 



[National Forest Order 23* 

Part 4. 



APRIL, 1907. 



Canceling alt previous conflicUng instructions. 




Book V f\*V 



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Issued April 23, 1907. 



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0W.9tONO1=OOCO«eNTS 



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Issued April 23, 1907. 



U* S* DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

FOREST SERVICE. 

GIFFORD PINCHOT, Forester. 



National Forest Order 23* 

Part 4. 



APRIL, 1907. 



CeinceUng aU pre*vfous conflicting instructions. 






MAY 1 1907 
D. of 0. 



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U a DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
FOREST SERVICE. 

GIFFORD PINCHOT, Forester. 

National Forest Order 23^ Part 4. 

APRIL, 1907. 
Canceling a.u. pre<vious conflicting instructions* 

1. 

It has been necessary to return for correction a 
number of ranger station diagrams already submitted. 
These were either incomplete in data or bore evident 
errors which could not be rectified in the Washington 
office. Such plats could not be relied upon to give 
the Forest Service valid title to the exact lands desired. 

2. 

It should be realized by Supervisors that the plats 
and descriptions which they submit are the data on 
which the Forest Service bases its recommendations 
for withdrawal to the Department of the Interior, and 
unless they are correct and complete in every detail 



4 NATIONAL FOREST ORDER 23. 

the withdrawal may not be held legal. It is there- 
fore absolutely necessary that the ranger stations be 
surveyed with the greatest care, and that the bound- 
aries of the stations on unsurveyed lands be marked 
by permanent monuments which will serve to hold 
the tract in case the description is inaccurate. 

3. 

SiQce it will be impossible to employ expert sur- 
veyors to survey these stations, the following instruc- 
tions have been prepared and should be rigidly fol- 
lowed. The work should of course be done by those 
officers who are most experienced in surveying work. 

4. 

When the lauds are surveyed aud Goverumeut 
Coruers cau be located^ the plat only need be submit- 
ted, showing the subdivisions desired. No description 
is necessary. (See sample plat, Fig. 1', at back of this 
Order.) ■> '^'^ 

The determination of the correct subdivisions must j 
not be left to conjecture. The Land Office corners 
should be located and the necessary lines carefully 
run in every case when there is the least doubt as to |^ 
what forties or tens should be recommended for with- 
drawal. Do not hesitate to recommend enough sub- 
divisions to control completely the land desired. 

Where lots occur their numbers should be obtained 
and shown on the plat. ; 

5. 

Wheu the lauds are uusurveyed or the Coruers 
of the (iroverumeut survey cau uot be located^ the 



/ 



FOREST SERVICE. 5 

actual boundaries will be marked, and a written 
description of them submitted with the plat (see second 
sample plat), in accordance with the following instruc- 
tions : 

6. 

FIELD WORK. 

Three kinds of permanent marks will be estabhshed; 
Forest Service Monuments, to which the ranger station 
surveys, and possibly future timber surveys, will be 
tied by bearing and distance; Corners, which will be 
set up at each angle in the ranger station surveys; and 
Witnesses, to which, whenever possible, each monu- 
ment and corner will be tied. 

7. 

Forest Service Monuments.— These marks will be 
used in a similar manner to the mineral monument of a 
mining district. They should be selected with a view 
to durability and should be so located as to be cer- 
tainly found by the description, bearings, and dis- 
tances. A large distinctive bowlder is good. Where 
bowlders are too plentiful or entirely absent, a built-up 
stone monument will serve the purpose better. If a 
suitable bowlder, or point on a cliff, can not be found 
or a monument built up, use a prominent tree of long- 
lived species, or, when trees are absent, resort to a 
wooden post such as is described under Corners. 

Chisel (or carve) on the Monument the letters 
F S M . If the Monument is a tree, cut the letters in a 
blaze below stump height, and make a second blaze 
breasthigh for convenience in sighting. If a bowlder. 



6 NATIONAL FOREST ORDER 23. 

chisel F S M on a prominent place on the rock, as a 
definite point to chain from. 

8. 

Witnessiiii;" Moiiumeiits. — Select a site for the 
Monument where it can be easily found, and where 
distinctive permanent objects, such as the forks of a 
stream, road, or trail, or their crossings, a good-sized 
waterfall, a spring, a prominent rock, or the given 
corner of a house can be used to locate it by bearing 
and distance. At least two cross bearings from defi- 
nite witness marks must be taken to properly locate the 
Monument. The nearer the bearings are at right 
angles to each other the better. If possible, bearings 
should also be taken to any prominent topographical 
features, such as mountain peaks, which should be 
carefully described if not well known by name. 

Chisel on the Witness rocks the letters ^. If the 

Witness is a tree, carve the ^ m a blaze below stump 

height and make another blaze breasthigh for con- 
venience in sighting. 

Preserve careful descriptions of the Monument, its 
site, the witnesses, their bearings and distances from 
the Monument, and the marks placed upon both 
Monument and witnesses for use in the Description of 
Survey mentioned later. Consider that someone will 
probably have to find the Monument sometime from 
your description alone, and make the description 
explicit for this purpose. 



FOREST SERVICE. i 

9. 

Corners. — At each point where an angle is turned 
in surveying the boundary of a ranger station there 
will be erected a durable, well-constructed Comer similar 
to those of the Land OfSce Surveys. 

There will be two kinds of Corners, as follows: 
When stone can he procured, an oblong block of stone 
4 to 10 inches diameter and not less than 2 feet long. 
This should be sunk at least 1 foot, standing on end, 
and have a mound of stones heaped up around it. 

When stone is not easily ohtainaUe, a wooden post not 
less than 4 inches square, set not less than 2 feet into 
the ground and projecting not less than 3 feet. Small 
stones and earth will be piled up around it so that not 
more than 1 foot of it is left exposed. 

Use for all posts only the most durable woods of the 
region. In the order of ordinary western woods these 
would be juniper (commonly called ^' cedar'') ? western 
red cedar, red fir, and western 3^ellow pine. Do not 
use green timber in any case. Obtain the seasoned 
heartwood of fire-killed timber wherever possible by 
hewing the post out of a stick about 8 inches diameter. 
When pine is used a pitchy heart is preferable. Set 
the end into the ground which was upward in the tree. 

lo. 

Marking corners. — Each corner post or stone will 
be marked near the top with the letter R and below this 
the number of the angle (surveyor's station) at which 
the Corner is set, beginning with the initial point as 1, 
and counting on in regular sequence around the plat 



8 NATIONAL FOREST ORDER 23. 

in the direction the survey was made. The marking 

of the monument at the third station would thus be § ■ 

The markings will be chiseled distinctly into the stone 
posts. On the wooden posts the marking should be 
cut in deeply with a scribe. 

11. 

Witnessing corners. — At least two witness marks 
will be made near each Corner, in order to reestablish 
the Corner by bearing and distance in case it is de- 
stroyed or disputed. Trees should be used when 
available. 

These marks will consist of the letter W and the 

number of the Corner below, thus ^ • They will be 

chiseled on stone, or carved into a blaze below stump 
height. A second blaze should be made breast-high, 
so as to be easily seen above the grass. 

12. 

It will sometimes be possible to use the Monument 
as the initial point of the survey. In this case it 
should bear both Monument and Corner markings, 

and the Witnesses bear the letters JVl with figure 1 

M 
beneath, thus: W. 
1 

13. 

The surveyor must depend largely on his own com- 
mon sense and ingenuity in selecting trees or prominent 
rocks in the proper positions to be serviceable, on 



"! 



FOREST SERVICE. 9 

which, to place the witness marks. Frequently the 
stations can be so arranged as to be conveniently near 
good witnesses without diminishing the value of the 
tract. Usually the witnesses should not be more than 
50 yards from a Corner, and the nearer the better. 

14. 

The witness marks should be inside the boundary 
whenever possible. They should be so located as to 
form as near a right angle as possible, with the Corner 
at the angle. The specified corner of a building which 
is not liable to be removed makes a good witness. The 
Corner and witnesses having been established, the bear- 
ing and distance from the Corner to each witness 
should be taken and recorded with the survey notes of 
the boundary as a part of the description. The 
description of each corner 3,nd witness and their mark- 
ings will of course be required. 

15. 

Blazing the boundary. — Where the boundary of 
the ranger station passes through timber the line should 
be plainly blazed. Choose trees over 6 inches in diam- 
eter. They need not be nearer to each other than 50 feet 
in the general direction of the line, and should not be 
more than 10 feet from the line. Any such tree stand- 
ing exactly in the line should be blazed fore and aft. 
Those standing at either side of the line should be 
blazed on the side toward the line. The blazes should 
be distinct, not less than the width of the axe blade in 
cross measure, nor more than 6 inches long, and placed 
about breastheight on the tree. 

28648—07 2 



10 NATION A.L FOREST OKDER 23. 

16. 

The coin pass. — ^Use the best instruineiit available. 
It should be nothing less accurate than the regulation 
3-inch needle surveyor's compass, used with Jacob 
staff or tripod. 

17. 

Yariatioii. — Obtain your variation from reliable 
local surveyors or from the local land office. 

Both on the flat and in the description of the survey 
statement should be made of the variation used and 
how or from what source the number of degrees was 
obtained. 

See that your compass is not out of adjustment. 
The needle should swing freely and quickly, and should 
settle at the same point on the graduated ring every 
time, after being disturbed by a knife or other iron 
held near it. 

18. 

Test the alignnieiit of the compass sights^ as 

follows: Drive two stakes on a level, open place, about 
40 yards apart, and setup the compass midway between 
them. Level, and sight upon one of the stakes. Then, 
looking back through the sights, have an assistant 
move the other stake until it is exactly in line. 

Next, taking care not to jar the Jacob staff from its 
position, loosen the clamp screw, turn the compass 
around half a circle, and sight upon the second stake. 
If the compass is in adjustment and operation has been 
carefully performed, the first stake should also now be 
seen in line with the sights. 



FOREST SERVICE. 11 

An instrument which will not stand this test suc- 
cessfully upon careful and repeated trials, or which has 
a weak needle, should be returned to Washington, with 
a letter placed in the box explaining its defects, and a 
new compass will be sent to replace it. 

19. 

Handliiiii;' tlie compass. — Set the compass over the 
Monument or in the line. The Jacob staff can be 
thrust down alongside the corner in line with the 
corner sighted to. Level carefully, paying special 
attention to the cross level. Always sight with the 
north sight of the compass forward. Never read a 
bearing from the south end of the needle. Do not 
attempt to sight more than 200 yards with the ordi- 
nary sight compass. 

In reading the bearing first put down N. or S., 
according as the north end of the needle is nearer N. 
or S. of the compass circle; second, write the number 
of degrees between the north end of the needle and 
the nearest zero mark (N. or S.); and, third, write E. 
or W., according as the needle is nearer E. or W. of 
the compass circle. The bearing always begins with 
N. or S., never with E. or W., except when the bearing 
is true east or west. Thus, a certain bearing should 
read N. 45° W., not W. 45° N., and N. 30° W. should 
not be written W. 60° N., although the same direction 
is indicated after a fashion. Keep all iron, such as 
the chain, guns, etc., away from the compass while 
reading the bearing. 



12 NATIONAL FOREST ORDER 23. 

20. 

('hecks. — Two readings of the compass should be 
taken at every surveyor's station. When a bearing 
has been read the first time, turn the compass to set 
the needle swinging, level and sight a second time, 
and repeat the reading. If the two readings vary 
more than half a degree, take a third reading. If the 
third does not agree with one of the others, take the 
average of the three as the true bearing. 

Upon arriving at a station sight back at the station 
just vacated as a check upon previous error or possible 
local attraction. The reverse sight should read the 
same as the fore sight, except that the letters are 
reversed (i. e., S. 45° E. where the original bearing 
was N. 45° W.). 

Should an opposite corner be visible across the tract 
from any station, take its bearing. This not only is 
an excellent check on the survey, but often is of aid 
when the survey closes badly in platting. 

21. 

To avoid certain annoy aiices. — If the needle 
sticks to the glass, touch a wet finger to the glass. 

If at any station the needle is deflected or refuses 
to settle, showing local attraction from iron — 

(1) Offset a chain or more at right angles to the 
desired bearing, and sight on a flag which is offset an 
equal distance, on the same side, at the other end of 
the line. If an offset on one side does not give relief 
from the local attraction, try the other side. 

(2) If the course runs through thick timber, which 
would necessitate swamping both the true line and 



FOREST SERVICE. 13 

the offset line, move the instrument forward or back 
to a point on the Kne of the course and take the bear- 
ing. This may give rehef from the local attraction. 

(3) Rely upon a careful and repeated reverse sight 
from the next station. 

22. 

('haiiiiiig. — Distances should be given in chains and 
links; hence the surveyor's chain, 66 feet long and con- 
taining 100 links, will be used when possible. Other- 
wise distances may be taken with the steel or linen 
tape and given in feet. 

In. chaining, offset around any very serious obstacle. 
On steep slopes the true distance can be obtained only 
by keeping the chain horizontal. To do this use 50 
links or less at a time. 

23. 

PLATTING. 

Plats must be submitted only on the tracing linen. 
Form 878, as extra copies must be made by the blue- 
print process. 

Use only Higgins's black waterproof ink. This ink 
can be obtained on requisition or purchased in the field. 

Plat with a sharp pencil first and ink the lines after- 
wards. 

24. 

All necessary data for location of the area should ap- 
pear on the plat. These consist of the township, range, 
and section (the latter approximate where unsur- 
veyed), the boundary of the desired tract, with bear- 
ings and distances (unless the area conforms to Gen- 
eral Land Office subdivisions), the Monument, with its 



14 NATIONAL FOREST ORDER 23. 

tie-line to the tract, and the local name hy which the 
ranger station will he Tcnown. 

25. 

Do not complicate the plat with unnecessary lines or 
lettering. TTie desired boundary should he heavy enough 
to distinguish it ahove all other lines. 

Make necessary lettering very distinct. Place bear- 
ings outside the boundary and do not invert them. 
They should be capable of being read without turning 
the plat around. 

2«. 

If the plat does not close, throw the error into the 
sides or angles which are most liable to be inaccurate 
on account of difficulties in the field work. If local 
attraction was encountered at one corner the error is 
likely to be in that angle. If offsets were made, or very 
rough, steep country traversed on one side, the mistake 
is probably in the chaining of that side. An error of 
one link to the chain is allow^able. If a larger error ap- 
pears in platting, the field work m^ust be repeated. 

27. 

Scale. — Show on the plat the scale used. Be sure 
to use the same scale throughout the plat. 

For areas which exceed a mile in length use a scale 
of 4 inches to the mile ; for smaller tracts use 8 inches 
per mile. For compact areas less than 40 acres use 
16 inches ])er mile. 

28. 

Description. (On unsurveyed lands only). — With 
the diagram of each survey should be submitted a 



FOREST SERVICE. 15 

typewritten description of the survey, of which the 
following is a sample: 

Description of Survey. 

Wild Cat Ranger Station. 

AQUARIUS NATIONAL FOREST, UTAH. • 

June 15, 1907. 

Township 25 north, range 8 east, meridian S. L., section — . 

Number . List . Area, 33^ acres. 

Variation. — This survey was run and platted on variation of 11^ 
30^ E., obtained by retracement of east line of section 36, township 

24 north, range 7 east. Salt Lake land office recommends using 
11° to IP W. 

Forest Service. Monument. — Consists of a bowlder 7''X6^X3^ above 
ground, situated on the east bank of Wildcat Creek, 7 chains down 
the stream from the junction of the North and East forks, 70 links 
from the water's edge, at right angles to the stream. F S M cut on 
the highest point of the rock as chaining point, whence a yellow 

pine tree 16 inches diameter bears N. 16° E.. 73 links, marked ^ in 

blaze. Lyon Mountain bears S. 31° 30' W. Tiger Mountain N. 28° 

30' W. vv cut OQ ledge bears S. 54° W. 

Beginning at Corner No. 1, a limestone 30''X9^^X5'' set in mound 

of stones and chiseled -| ' whence Forest Service Monument above 

described bears S. 13° W. 2.52 chains. The SW. comer of the ran- 
ger's cabin built in 1905 bears N. 18° E. 1.80 chains. A yellow 

pine 12 inches diameter, blazed and marked i bears east 3.03 chains. 

Thence N. 58° E. 
Chains. 
27.80 Leaning scrubby pinyon tree 16 inches diameter. 

25 to 35 Line blazed through scattering juniper and pinyon to 
35 Corner No. 2, z, juniper post 5'X4''X4'" in mound of gravel 

and earth, marked ^ , whence a pinyon tree 8 inches diam- 
eter, marked ^ ' bears north 10 links, p on a granite bowl- 



16 NATIONAL FOREST ORDER 23. 

der 4 feet in diameter and 3 feet above ground, chiseled 

W bears S. 82° E. 2.23 chains. 
2 ' 

Thence N. 15° W. 

Chains. 

10.00 to Corner No. S. A limestone 3^^ by 7^^ by 26^^ in mound 

R 

of stones, chiseled o' whence chimney of Ranger Cabin 

bears S. 46° 30^ W. No other suitable witness objects 

within 70 yards. 

Thence S. 58° W. 
28.53 Cross East Fork of Wildcat Creek, course S. 18° W. 

28-34 through open yellow pine timber. 
34.27 to Corner No. 4. A stake of fat pine heartwood in mound 

of earth, marked —^ whence a yellow pine 2 feet in diame- 
ter blazed low and marked^' bears N. 14° E., 18 links. 

A red fir 12 inches diameter standing on west bank of east 

W, 
4 



fork of Wildcat Creek, marked ^' bears S. 42^° E. 6.34 



chains. 

Thence S. 15° E. 
Through open pine timber. 
2.96 Pine tree 2| feet in diameter. 

7.24 Cross East Fork of Wildcat Creek, course S., 23° E., 

15.00 to Corner No. 1, the place of beginning, containing 
33.25 acres of land, he the same more or less,"' one-half good 
agricultural land and balance suitable for pasture only. 

John R. Henry, 
Surveyor, Deputy Ranger 
Description and plat compared and approved by 

George H. Barney 

Forest Supervisor. 
29. 



1 



Six carbons will be made, of which five, with the 
original, are to be forwarded to the Forester, with the 
plat, and the other one retained by the Supervisor. 

« This phrase should always be inserted, for legal reasons. 



FOREST SERVICE. 17 

30. 

Numlieriug- surveys. — The original copy will be re- 
tained in the Washington office. Four of the five 
carbons forwarded go to the General Land Office with 
blueprints taken from the plat. The remaining carbon 
will be marked with its proper number in the order of 
accepted surveys for that Forest and returned to the 
Supervisor with a blueprint of the plat. 

31. 

Supervisors" will be responsible for comparing all 
notes with the plats before forwarding. They should 
agree accurately, and the plats should be clean and 
neatly drawn. 

32. 

SUPPLIES. 

The necessary chisels will be furnished by the super- 
visors and charged to equipment. The scribes will be 
requisitioned from the Washington office. India ink 
may be either requisitioned or bought in the local 
market. 

33. 

CORRECTING PREVIOUS INACCURACIES. 

Upon receipt of this order each Supervisor will sub- 
mit a list of all the ranger station surveys previously 
sent in, showing for each survey the variation, if any, 
on which it was run. 



18 NATIONAL FOREST ORDEK 23. 

If the lines were run without variation this fact 
should be stated, and the local variation, as nearly as 
can be ascertained from any source, should be reported, 
in order that the proper notation may be made upon 
the plats. 

34. 

All plats and descriptions hitherto received which 
could possibly be accepted as sufficiently definite have 
been accepted for withdrawal. Therefore all recom- 
mendations for Ranger Stations sent to the Washing- 
ton office before April 15, 1907, for which no notifica- 
tion of withdrawal has been received by officers in 
charge prior to June 1, 1907, should be considered as 
rejected and resubmitted as promptly as possible in 
accordance with this Order. 

35. 

In all cases in which the original descriptions were 
not sufficiently definite to enable the tract to be readily 
relocated, or in which more land than is needed has been 
either recommended or withdrawn, new descriptions 
should be submitted as soon as possible definitely 
locating the precise tracts needed. 

GiFFORD PiNCHOT, 

Forester. 



FOEEST SERVICE. 



19 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

FOREST SERVICE 

MAP SHEET 

fr'/tnae.'i ^TVnaH No. ^^MY'S fi^P Ciri\H*< FomI Rtsertx. 

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Fig. 1. — Sample pint tor surveyed lauds where Government corners can be 

located. 



20 



NATIONAL FOEEST ORDER 23. 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
FO«£6T SERVICE 

MAP SHEET 

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Fig. 2.— Sample plat for unsurveyed lands or for surveyed lands where comers 4 
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